SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Notice in this column does rot necessarily preclude subsequent mine.]
The Potsdam Diary, 1915. Compiled by L. J. Masse.
(National Review Office, 14 Tavietock Street, W.C.).—At a first glance this little book, with its handsome binding,
might be taken for an ordinary " day-to-a-page" pocket diary. A second look, however, will reveal the sting in its tail, which lies in a quotation for every day in the year from the speeches or other public pronouncements of what the editor of the National Review has long described as the "Potsdam Party." Under July 14th, for instance, is printed the following quotation from the circular issued by Sir John Brunner, as President of the National Liberal Federation, on December 30th, 1913 :— "I would therefore ask every Liberal Association which believes in the good old Liberal doctrine of Peace, Retrenchment, and Reform, to pass resolutions before the end of January in favour of reductions in our armament expenditure, so that the Government may have fresh evidence of the wishes of the party before the military and naval estimates for next year are finally settled."
It is difficult when reading these words to suppress the ques- tion—How do the men who framed these resolutions and the men who encouraged their adoption feel about the matter now? But, after all, such questions had better be suppressed. Our business now is to beat the Germans and to let all bygones be bygones. Recriminations, however well merited, will weaken not strengthen our arms. Our readers will find much to ponder over in the pages of this little volume, of which the characteristic, dedication runs: "Dedicated to the British Potsdam Party, who in endeavouring to beguile Great Britain from her duty lured Germany to her doom." That is a piece of epigrammatic truth which will prove hard to beat.
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